The Road Home
It had been a Friday night like any other Friday. He got off work, said goodbye to some coworkers, and headed out for the weekend. Stepping out into the brisk chill of the early year winter, he journeyed to his car. Starting the engine as he got in, he waited for it to warm before taking off. Eventually reaching the highway, he turned up the volume on his radio and headed down the interstate. Settling in, he knew he had a long drive ahead of him. He lived outside of town, far from work. This meant that he had to leave as soon as his shift was over and leave before the break of dawn. It didn’t bother him, however. It wasn’t like he had much going for him at home. He was just happy to have the work. The night sky behind him glowed with the light of the city. Stars twinkled dimly from above. Cars passed on the left and right. Glancing in his rearview mirror, he saw an old-style police vehicle following several paces behind him. He thought it odd to see such an old model, and it was even odder that the vehicle did not have its lights on. But, it wasn’t his problem, so he let it go. As he continued to cruise down the highway, the number of cars died away as the night grew older. The number of lights along the road decreased the further he got from the city. Looking in his mirror again, he could make out the shape of the police car, its headlights still dark. It had also shortened its following distance. “What are you doing...” he muttered, straightening up in his seat. Perhaps he had done some kind of minor traffic violation earlier and they were following him to see if he did any more. He frowned. It was insulting that they might be following simply to be able to put out a few extra tickets. He resolved that he wasn’t going to give them the chance. Leaving the city completely behind, and driving down the dark highway, he was alone, except for the police car, which still persisted. It also refused to turn on its headlights. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Maybe they just happened to be going the same way he had been. After all, it was an officer of the law. He probably didn’t have any malicious intent. Still, it put him on edge. After a while, he saw his exit coming up. Turning on his signal, he moved onto the off-ramp, and he saw the police car follow. Shaking his head, he continued onto the new road and further into the darkness. One car was coming from oncoming lane, and as it passed, he caught a glimpse of the light shining on the vehicle following him. It was indeed an older model; one from the 1970s, from the looks of it. He also managed to see the outline of the officer, but nothing distinct. “Dammit,” he said, striking his hands on the wheel. “Why are you following me?” Eventually, the turn for the county road which led to his house came up. Switching on his signal, he turned, and the vehicle followed. The less-maintained road caused his vehicle to bounce slightly, and he saw the police car do the same. That didn’t deter it from continuing its pursuit. He was turning over theories in his head now, as it was obvious that it was not a mere coincidence that he was following him home. Maybe he was being tailed for surveillance. He chuckled dryly at the idea. If he were being surveilled, he wouldn’t know he was. Another thought that popped into his head caused his grip on the wheel to tighten. He had seen stories of people impersonating police officers all over the place. Maybe this guy was another, and he was waiting to attack him when they were far away from any potential witnesses. This put him even more on edge. Realizing that he couldn’t go home, he decided that he would try to loop back around and drive back to the city. Maybe he could drive to the police station and report the incident. The road they were on was lined with trees, creating a narrow tunnel of sorts. He knew there was a service road up ahead that he could use to swing around and head back to the city. However, he didn’t get the opportunity to make his escape. As he was getting closer to the turn, the lights on the police car suddenly burst into life, including the red and blue lights on top. Its siren also blared into life, breaking through what had been a silent night. At that moment, he couldn’t decide what to do. If they were indeed someone posing as a police officer, then he couldn’t stop for them. On the other hand, if they were a real cop, then he would be making it worse by fleeing from them. Deciding against his better judgment, he pulled over to the side of the road. The police vehicle came to a stop behind him. Grabbing his license from his pocket, he opened his glove box to retrieve his registration. As he did, his hand brushed past the pistol he kept there. Stopping, he looked at it. If this guy was an imposter, he might have to defend himself. There was a thud as the officer got out of the car and closed his door. He looked in his rearview mirror and saw them approaching, silhouetted against his headlights. License and registration in hand, he looked at his firearm one last time when suddenly his window shattered and he was grabbed by the collar. With brute force, he was pulled through his broken window and thrown onto the concrete. Rolling to a stop, his head spun as he looked around. Looking up, he saw the man approaching him, his posture slightly obstructed, as if he were crippled. He wasn’t wearing an officer’s uniform; he wore jeans and a gray T-shirt with an ancient Houston Police Department jacket over it. But what was more horrifying was his face. He could see it clearly now, and he screamed. His eyes were unnaturally wide and he was smiling from ear to ear. The man on the ground tried to crawl away. “What are you?” he cried. Stopping, it cocked its head slightly. A second later it flew forward, landing on top of him. Its hands wrapped around his neck. He tried to struggle against it, but its grip was very strong. He gasped and gagged. He knew he was dying. Still, its wicked smile and wide eyes remained. A moment later, it stopped. The attacker’s grip slackened, and its body went limp. Its expression drooped, and it fell over, landing on the ground. Dead. Laying there a moment, the man pushed himself up and looked around. Shedding his coat, he reached down and pulled the jacket off the man on the ground. He swung it over his shoulders as he walked to the outdated police vehicle. Getting in, he started up the engine, and with his eyes wide and smiling from ear to ear, he pulled the car around and began to head back the way they had come. The lights on the vehicle died, and it drove into the night. Category:Mental Illness